Apparatus and process for simultaneous crimping and commingling of yarns

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and process for simultaneous crimping and commingling of continuous filament yarns are provided. The yarn is introduced as feed into a contact chamber in which the yarn is contacted with a heated fluid, such as steam, at an angle of not greater than about 85* with respect to the yarn passage axis, and at a fluid velocity sufficient to vibrate the yarn and cause it to impact upon an impacting surface. The impacted yarn, together with the heated fluid, is then directed into an energy tube wherein the impacted yarn absorbs heat from the heated fluid. The heated yarn then passes into a stuffer tube wherein the flow of yarn is impeded, thereby establishing a yarn plug from which crimped and commingled yarn is subsequently removed.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,874,044

Kwon et al. Apr. 1, 1975 APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR 3,763,525 10/1973 MacKnight 28/l.3

SIMULTANEOUS CRIMPING AND COMMINGLING OF YARNS Inventors: Young D. Kwon, Morristown;

Russell H. Butler, Dover; l-lendrikus J. Oswald, Morristown, all of N.J.; Dong W. Kim, Chester, Va.

Allied Chemical Corporation, New York, NY.

Filed: Mar. 8, 1974 Appl. No.: 449,409

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ll/l968 Longbottom et al. 28/72.ll X l/l973 Nikkel 28/13 Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur J. Plantamura; Jack B. Murray, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT Apparatus and process for simultaneous crimping and commingling of continuous filament yarns are provided. The yarn is introduced as feed into a contact chamber in which the yarn is contacted with a heated fluid, such as steam, at an angle of not greater than about 85 with respect to the yarn passage axis, and at a fluid velocity sufficient to vibrate the yarn and cause it to impact upon an impacting surface. The impacted yarn, together with the heated fluid, is then directed into an energy tube wherein the impacted yarn absorbs heat from the heated fluid. The heated yarn then passes into a stuffer tube wherein the flow of yarn is impeded, thereby establishing a yarn plug from which crimped and commingled yarn is subsequently removed.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 21 ,2 YARN FEED 5 l 29 T a No o of l2 26 [\I a? \l 22 HEATED F LUID MENTED APR 1 U2UP3 FIG. 3

HEATED FLUID FIG. 4

HEATED FLUID PATENTEBAPR 1 I975 SHEET 3 9f 3 APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR SIMULTANEOUS CRIMPING AND COMMINGLING OF YARNS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is related to our co-filed application SIMULTANEOUS CRIMPING AND COMMIN- GLING YARNS," Attorneys Docket No. 7000-1089.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to process and apparatus for simultaneous crimping and commingling of continuous filament yarns.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Synthetic fiber yarn to be employed in fabric, such as in carpets and wearing apparel, is frequently subjected to a crimping process to generate curvilinear twists on the yarn so as to impart elastic stretch and bulk to the yarn. Such yarn is also subjected to a commingling process whereby entanglements are inserted between adjacent yarn filaments to enhance cohesiveness between these filaments. In addition, commingling helps to prevent stray filaments from snagging machine guides during subsequent processing and to prevent the separation of individual yarn ends in jet texturizing processes which require more than one yarn end per jet.

In conventional process, the crimping and commingling functions are carried out separately in different steps. Such a division of functions increases process costs and generates increased equipment requirements. Previous attempts to simultaneously crimp and commingle yarn have been unsuccessful in imparting the desired crimp and commingling properties. Typical dual-function apparatus are those disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,409,956 (issued in 1968 to Longbottom et al.) wherein yarn is contacted with a steam jet positioned coaxially with respect to the yarn passage axis, US. Pat. No. 3,303,546 (issued in 1967 to Van Blerk) and East German Pat. No. 17,786 (issued in 1960 to Bruetting) wherein yarn is contacted by steam emitted from an annular opening which is coaxial to the yarn passage axis, and US. Pat. No. 3,611,698 (issued in 1971 to Horn) wherein pairs of facing steam jets impact on a common plane at an angle perpendicular to the yarn passage axis. In the apparatus of US. Pat. Nos. 3,303,546 and 3,490,956 and East German Pat. No. 17,786, coaxial contact of the yarn with steam has the disadvantage of failing to impart any significant amount of commingling to the yarn. In the apparatus of US. Pat. No. 3,61 1,698, the steam jets do not impart any portion of their force in the direction of the yarn travel through the apparatus, thereby necessitating the use of a mechanical pulling device to cause the yarn to pass through the apparatus. The use of such mechanical pulling for this purpose is not desirable because it tends to destroy any crimp that has been previously imparted to the yarn.

However, most significantly, these prior art apparatus for simultaneous crimping and commingling of yarn have failed to provide the levels of crimp and commingling previously achieved when these functions were carried out in separate steps. Thus, the dual-function apparatus fails to simultaneously perform commingling and crimping functions while maintaining the desired levels of crimp and commingling which separatefunction apparatus had previously achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there are provided apparatus and process for simultaneous crimping and commingling continuous filament yarn. The apparatus of the present invention comprises: a contact chamber assembly including a contact chamber, yarn inlet means for feeding yarn into said contact chamber and fluid supply means for introducing heated fluid into said contact chamber along an axis which forms an angle of not greater than about with respect to the axis of yarn passage through said contact chamber; an energy tube for imparting heat to' the yarn passing therethrough from said contact chamber; and a stuffer tube assembly communicating with said energy tube for yarn passage therethrough and including a stuffer tube for texturizing the yarn.

The process of the invention comprises feeding yarn into a contact zone; contacting the yarn in said zone with a stream of heated fluid, preferably steam, at an angle of not greater than about 85 with respect to the yarn passage axis, and at a fluid velocity sufficient to vibrate the yarn and cause the yarn to impact upon an impacting surface; passing said impacted yarn and said heated fluid into an energy (i.e., a heat absorbing) zone wherein the yarn absorbs at least a portion of the heat from said heated fluid; and passing the heated yarn and said fluid into a texturizing zone wherein the flow of yarn is impeded, thereby establishing a yarn plug, and wherein the heated fluid imparts a portion of its mechanical energy to the yarn contained in the yarn plug. The heated fluid is discharged from the texturizing zone, and crimped and commingled yarn is removed from the texturizing zone.

It has been found that the present invention enables simultaneous achievement of levels of commingling which are comparable to, and levels of crimp which are superior than, the levels which result from conventional processes in which crimping and commingling steps are sequentially performed. In addition, the process and apparatus of the present invention have the advantage of imparting such improved crimp and commingling properties in a single apparatus, thereby decreasing equipment requirements and reducing processing costs by as much as 50 percent.

In addition, it has been found that by employing a conventional crimping assembly to pre-crimp the yarn which is fed to the simultaneous crimping and commingling apparatus of the present invention, independent control of the levels of crimp and commingling can be achieved. Further, by employing a precrimping assembly it has been found that increased yarn speeds through apparatus of the present invention may be achieved when higher denier yarns are treated. In a more specific embodiment, wherein a pre-crimping assembly is employed which emits heated fluid coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the assembly, additional force is imparted to the yarn to cause the yarn to move through the apparatus of the present invention, thereby further decreasing the necessity for mechanically pulling the yarn therethrough.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 employed in combination with a conventional device to pre-crimp the yarn.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the contact chamber assembly and energy tube of another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the contact chamber of FIG. 3 taken along the line lV-IV of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical process employing the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the vibration of yarn in the energy tube of the prior art apparatus of US. Pat. No. 3,409,956.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the vibration of yarn in the energy tube of the apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As indicated above, the process and apparatus of the present invention allow the simultaneous crimping and commingling of continuous filament yarn. In the present invention, the yarn is contacted in a contact zone with heated fluid, e.g., steam, supplied by a pressurized source at an acute angle of not greater than 85 with respect to the yarn passage axis, thereby causing the yarn to vibrate and to impact upon an impacting surface. The term yarn passage axis" is herein defined as the axis along which the yarn is fed to the contact chamber. Since it is desirable that yarn be fed to the contact chamber along the longitudinal axis thereof, in the preferred embodiment, the yarn passage axis corresponds substantially to the longitudinal axis of the contact chamber.

The term an impacting surface" is herein meant to define that portion of the interior walls of the yarn passages of the present apparatus upon which the yarn first impacts after being contacted with the heated fluid. In the preferred embodiment, the impacting surface comprises the chamber wall which defines the contact zone. The impacting surface may also comprise the interior wall of the energy tube which defines the heat absorbing zone.

The heated fluid used to treat continuous filament yarns in the present invention may be air, steam or any other compressible fluid or vapor capable of plasticizing action on the yarn. Hot air will give sufficient plasticization in the contact zone for many fibers although it may be desirable for certain fibers to supplement the temperature effect with an auxiliary plasticizing medium. Actually, steam is preferentially used in the subject process since it is a cheap and convenient source of a high pressure fluid with a compound plasticizing action.

The temperature of the fluid medium must be regulated so that the yarn temperatures do not reach the melting point of the fiber. However, with fibers made from fusible polymers, the most effective bulking and the greatest productivity are obtained when the temperature of the heated fluid in the impacting zone is above the melting point of the fiber. In this case, the yarn speed should be great enough so that melting does not occur. In a preferred embodiment, the yarn to be crimped and commingled is contacted in the contact zone with steam supplied at a temperature within the range of about 150 to 500C., and preferably 200 to 450C. and at a pressure of from about 5 to 200 psig., and preferably 5 to 125 psig.

The velocity, herein termed the fluid velocity," at which the heated fluid contacts the yarn in the contact zone must be sufficient to vibrate the yarn and to cause the yarn to impact upon an impacting surface. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the precise velocity which is sufficient to vibrate the yarn and to cause it to impact on an impacting surface varies widely with the yarn denier, the rate of yarn travel through the contact zone, the nozzle alignment, the shape and size of the contact zone, the density of the heated fluid, and other factors. Typically, the fluid velocity of the heated fluid, which contacts the yarn in the contact zone, is sufficient to contact the yarn with a force of from about 0.01 to 50 lbs,/in and preferably from about 0.1 to 30 lbs lin With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to the same or similar element, in the embodi ment of FIG. 1 the apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally at 10 and includes: contact cham ber assembly 11 which includes yarn inlet means, indi" cated generally at 12, for feeding the yarn thereinto, heated fluid supply means, indicated generally at 13, for supplying heated fluid thereto and contact chamber 14 which includes contact zone 26, defined by chamber wall 15; energy tube 16 defining passage 17; and stuffer tube assembly, indicated generally at 18, including stuffer tube 18a defining texturizing passage 19, and stuffer tube receiver 21, which includes heated fluid escape vents 20.

Yarn inlet means, indicated generally at 12, for feeding the yarn into apparatus 10 comprises feeder tube 24 which defines yarn feeder passage 25. Tube 24 is positioned substantially concentric to longitudinal axis 22 and communicates contact zone 26 with a yarn source (not shown) to provide for passage of yarn into zone 26. As discussed more fully below, yarn feeder tube 24 may cooperate with a conventional pre-crimping assembly to receive pre-crimped yarn to be fed to apparatus l0.

Heated fluid supply means, indicated generally at R3, for introducing heated fluid into apparatus 10 comprises fluid supply housing 33 which defines heated fluid chamber 34, nozzle 31 and heated fluid inlet 30 which communicates heated fluid chamber 34 with a heated fluid supply source (not shown). While preheating the yarn introduced into chamber 14 is not required, fluid supply housing 33 may be disposed substantially concentric to feeder tube 24 so as to pre-heat yarn passing through feeder tube 24 to a temperature of from about 50 to 200C., and preferably from about to 170C, prior to the yarns entry into contact zone 26. Nozzle 31, which communicates heated fluid chamber 34 with contact zone 26, is disposed so that longitudinal axis 32 of nozzle 31 forms fluid contact angle A with the yarn passage axis, which is illustrated in FIG. 1 to coincide with longitudinal axis 22. Fluid contact angle A is not greater than about preferably not greater than about 45, and is most preferably between about 5 and 45. Nozzle 31 is aligned so as to cause the heated fluid emitted therefrom to contact the yarn at a point downstream from nozzle 31, thereby causing the yarn to pass through apparatus 10. Longitudinal axis 32 of nozzle 31 may intersect the yarn pas sage axis, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, or may be offset from the yarn passage axis, as illustrated in the embodiment in FIGS. 3 and 4, as discussed below. While it has been found that a single nozzle 31 is sufficient to impart the desired crimping and commingling properties to yarn, multiple nozzles may be employed so long as the above nozzle-alignment requirements are met, i.e., the nozzle axis of each such nozzle forms an angle of not greater than about 85 with respect to the yarn passage axis, i.e., axis 22 in FIG. 1, and the heated fluid emitted from each nozzle contacts the yarn at a point which is downstream from the nozzle itself. In addition, when such a multiple nozzle arrangement is employed, the nozzles must, of course, be positioned so as to cause the vibrating yarn to impact upon an impacting surface (as for example, contact chamber wall 15, as shown in FIG. 1). Therefore, where multiple nozzles are employed, directly opposing pairs of nozzles intersecting axis 22 at a common point should not be used since such an arrangement tends to suspend the yarn so contacted between directly opposing fluid streams and does not effect the desired impacting of the yarn upon an impacting surface.

Inner surface of chamber 14 may be either flat or curved and, as preferred, defines zone 26 to converge in the downstream direction, i.e., in the direction of yarn passage through apparatus 10. However, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, inner surface 15 of chamber 14 may also define zone 26 to be substantially cylindrical. When inner surface 15 is curved, contact zone 26 may be in the geometric shape of a hyperbola, ellipse or parabola, for example. However, contact zone 26 is preferably substantially conical as illustrated in FIG. 1, and defines conical angle B which is generally not greater than about 85 and preferably not greater than about 45.

Energy tube 16 is positioned about axis 22 and communicates contact zone 26 with energy tube passage 17 to provide for yarn passage therethrough. The diameter of energy tube passage 17 preferably substantially corresponds to the diameter of contact zone 26 at the interface between zone 26 and passage 17. While preheating of energy tube 16 is not required, tube 16 may be heated by a suitable external heating means, as for example, steam heating coils 23, to maintain a temperature of from about 40 to 300C. in energy tube passage 17, so as to further heat yarn passing therethrough and to increase the level of crimp imparted therein.

While the yarn in apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 is shown to impact upon contact chamber wall 15, in the desired levels of crimping and commingling may also be achieved by aligning nozzle 31 within the abovediscussed nozzle alignment requirements so as to cause the yarn thereby contacted with heated fluid to first impact upon a portion of interior wall 16a of energy tube passage 17, which comprises the heating absorbing zone of apparatus 10.

Stuffer tube receiver 21 is housed in stuffer tube assembly l8 and defines passage 35, which preferably has a diameter at its interface with passage 17 substantially corresponding to the diameter of passage 17. Passage 35 may be of a uniform cross-section or, as is preferred, diverges in the direction of yarn passage therethrough. When passage 35 diverges in such a manner, inner surface 35a of passage 35 may be either flat or curved. Thus, passage 35 may be of various geometric shapes such as, for example, cylindrical, semi-spherical, parabolic, conical, hyperbolic and elliptical, with the conical and parabolic forms being preferred. When passage 35 is conical, as illustrated in FIG. 1, conical angle C is defined and is generally less than about 85 and preferably less than about 45. Particularly outstanding results are obtained when conical angle C is from about 10 to 20. A fluid exit plate 29 is located at the discharge end of passage 35 and is provided with slots, holes or a combination of both to allow the passage of heated fluid and yarn therethrough. The construction of such a plate is well known and is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,956.

Stuffer tube 18a, which defines texturizing passage 19, is adapted to contain a compacted yarn mass, designated as yarn plug 27 in FIG..3. Heated fluid escape vents 20 housed in stuffer tube receiver 21 are preferably positioned concentric to axis 22 and communicate passage 19 with the atmosphere to allow escape of heated fluid from passage 19. In the preferred embodiment, vents 20 are disposed so as to cause the exiting heated fluid to be released from passage 19 in a direction substantially opposite to the yarn path travel through apparatus 10 and parallel to longitudinal axis 22. The term substantially opposite, as usedherein includes heating fluid discharged from texturizing passage 19 at an angle of to measured on the basis of the longitudinal axis 22 and countercurrent to yarn path travel. While such a concentric arrangement of fluid escape vents is preferred, it is not intended to be limiting. Thus, stuffer tube 180 may be provided with apertures (not shown) communicating with texturizing passage 19 along the length thereof to permit heated fluid to escape therefrom. In addition, tube 18a may be constructed of a gas permeable material such as a steel mesh screen or micro-porous steel to allow escape of heated fluid from passage 19. While not critical to the present invention, texturizing passage 19 may have a larger diameter than the diameter of energy tube passage 17, so as to form an annulus between the inner periphery of texturizing passage 19 and the outer periphery of energy tube passage 17, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,956. Contact zone 26, energy tube passage 17, passage 35, and texturizing passage 19, which comprise the yarn passages" of the apparatus of the present invention, are preferably each disposed substantially concentric to a common longitudinal axis, designated as axis 22 in FIG. 1, which is the longitudinal axis of the apparatus. In addition, it is preferred that inlet means 12 for feeding yarn to apparatus 10 comprise feeder tube 24 disposed substantially concentrical to axis 22 to facilitate yarn feed to apparatus 10.

Yarn is preferably fed to impacting zone 26 along an axis, i.e., the yarn passage axis, which substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis 22 of impacting zone 26. However, the yarn passage axis may also be parallel to axis 22 while not coinciding therewith.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, apparatus 10 is employed in combination with a precrimping assembly, indicated generally at 40. Precrimping assembly 40 includes: housing 41 which defines zone 42; pre-crimp feeder tube 45 which communicates zone 42 with a yarn source (not shown) for passage of yarn thereinto; nozzle 43 adapted to supply heated fluid under pressure to zone 42 along longitudinal axis 22 of assembly 40; and pre-crimping tube 46, defining pre-crimping passage 44 and communicating zone 42 with passage 44 to provide for yarn passage therethrough. In addition, pre-crimping tube 46 communicates pre-crimping passage 44 with feeder passage 25 of apparatus 10 to provide for passage of yarn precrimped by assembly 40 into apparatus 10. Nozzle 43 is positioned substantially coaxial to axis 22 to contact the yarn in zone 42 along axis 22 and to cause the yarn to be passed into crimping passage 44 and thence into feeder passage 25 of apparatus 10. Pre-crimping tube 46 is also positioned coaxial to axis 22. By increasing the temperature of the heated fluid which contacts the yarn in precrimping assembly 40, the crimp of the yarn entering apparatus 10 can be increased, thereby providing independent control of the levels of crimp of the yarn fed to apparatus 10.

Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is illustrated which includes: contact chamber assembly 11 having contact chamber 14 which includes substantially cylindrical contact zone 26; and fluid supply means, indicated generally at 13, for supplying heated fluid to contact chamber 14, which comprises fluid supply housing 33 having heated fluid chamber 34 and heated fluid supply line 30 for allowing heated fluid to pass from a fluid source (not shown) into chamber 14. Contact chamber 14, which is coextensive in FIG. 3 with feeder tube 24, houses multiple offset nozzles 31a and 31b for passage of heated fluid from chamber 34 into contact zone 26. Contact zone 26 is of longitudinal dimension D, extending from (1) the point along the yarn passage axis, defined in FIG. 3 to coincide with axis 22, at which heated fluid emitted from nozzle 31a contact yarn, to (2) upstream interface 36 of energy tube passage 17. Longitudinal nozzle axes 32a and 32b of nozzles 31a and 31b, respectively, form fluid contact angles A and A respectively, with the yarn passage axis, ie. axis 22 in FIG. 3. Each of angles A, and A are not greater than about 85.

FIG. 4 illustrates the offset of nozzles 31a and 31b of FIG. 3. When a nozzle, such as nozzles 31a and 31b of FIG. 3 and 4, is employed which is offset, the longitudinal axis of such nozzle does not pass through center 22a of contact zone 26, i.e., the nozzle axis does not intersect axis 22. It has been found that the desired levels of crimping and commingling may be achieved employing an offset nozzle, either alone, in combination with other nozzles whose longitudinal nozzle axes pass through center 22a of zone 26 or in combination with other offset nozzles, so long as the positioning of each such nozzle satisfies the above-discussed nozzle alignment requirements. When an apparatus of the present invention employs an offset nozzle, the fluid contact angle which the longitudinal nozzle axis forms with the yarn passage axis is, as would be apparent to the skilled practitioner, defined in the view of the apparatus in which the angle between (1) the plane formed by the longitudinal nozzle' axis and (2) the yarn passage axis is maximized.

Referring now to FIG. wherein a process employing apparatus of the present invention is illustrated, continuous filament yarn 51 is unwound from yarn supply spool 50 and passed to feeder and draw rolls 53, 54 and 55 and is then passed to apparatus wherein the yarn is treated and forms yarn plug 27 as described previously. Crimped and commingled yarn is then removed from apparatus 10 by tension supplied by end rollers 56 and 57, and then wound on winding roller 58. As has been previously described, yarn 51 after having been passed over rollers 53, 54 and 55 may be fed into a conventional pre-crimping assembly, such as that illustrated in FIG. 2, which cooperates with apparatus 10.

In operation of the apparatus of the present invention, continuous filament yarn is fed by inlet means l2 into contact chamber 14 wherein heated fluid, such as steam, which is supplied under pressure to heated fluid chamber 34 through nozzle 31, contacts the yarn in contact zone 26 (l) at an angle of not greater than about 85 with respect to the yarn passage axis, which in FIG. 1 is defined to coincide with longitudinal axis 22, and (2) at a fluid velocity sufficient to cause the contacted yarn to vibrate so as to impact upon a portion of an impacting surface, such as chamber wall 15 of chamber 14.

The impacted yarn together with heated fluid is then passed into energy tube passage 17 wherein the yarn vibrates substantially in the manner shown in FIG. 7 and wherein the yarn absorbs at least a portion of the heat from the heated fluid. As discussed above, aiternate, external heating sources 23 may be applied to en ergy tube 16, thereby further heating the yarn passing through passage 17. Depending upon the condition of operation, e.g., the type yarn, the temperature and pressure employed, the yarn is reduced to a semiplastic state, and thereafter the yarn is aspirated through passage 35 into texturizing passage 19 wherein the flow of yarn is impeded, thereby establishing a yarn plug as in conventional stuffer tube 180, such as is described in US. Pat. No. 3,409,956. From texturizing passage 19, which may be operated at a reduced pressure of from about 0 to 15 psig, heated fluid exits through heated fluid vents 20 located concentric to longitudinal axis 22. Crimped and commingled yarn is preferably removed from stuffer tube 18a at a slower linear speed than the feed rate to texturizing passage 19 so as to maintain the yarn plug therein.

By contacting the yarn in contact zone 26 with heated fluid at an angle of not greater than about 85 with respect to the yarn passage axis, a certain amount of twist is imparted to the yarn, and the yarn is caused to impact upon an impacting surface, thereby effecting increased commingling of adjacent yarn filaments. in addition, the yarn which is thus impacted vibrates within the heat absorbing zone in an unconventional manner which is believed to further contribute to the crimp and commingling levels achieved. FIG. 6 illustrates vibration patterns in yarn 62 contacted in the ap paratus of US. Pat. No. 3,490,956. As may be seen, this vibration pattern is substantially sinusoidal. HO "7 illustrates the substantially non-sinusoidal vibration which the yarn undergoes in energy tube passage i7 (i.e., the heat absorbing zone) in the apparatus of present invention. As may be seen from H6. '7, adjacent yarn filaments are caused by the vibration to form a folded-wave pattern, the folds of which are exemplified by and 61. This folded wave pattern is believed to enhance the crimp and commingling properties of the yarn.

The process and apparatus of this invention can used to simultaneously crimp and comrningle any natural or synthetic plastizible filamentary material. Thermal plastic material such as polyamides, e.g., poly(epsilon caproamide), poly(hexamethylene adipamide); ceilulose esters; polyesters, e.g., polyethylene terep'nthab ate, poly(hexahydro-p-xylene terephthalate), etc; and polyoleflns and polyacrylics, e.g., polyethylene and polyacrylonitrile as well as copolymers thereof, can be treated by the process and apparatus of the present in vention.

in addition, both monofilaments and yarnsof textile deniers, as well as heavy carpet and industrial yarns (either singly or combined in the form of a heavy tow) may be treated by the process and apparatus of the present invention. When the yarn to be treated is composed of filaments which are made from synthetic materials, a filament of any cross-section type may be treated. Cruciform, Y-shaped, delta-shaped, ribbon, and dumbbell and other filamentary cross-sections can be processed at least as well as round filaments and usually contribute still higher levels of crimp and commingling than is obtained with round filaments.

The process and apparatus of the present invention may be further illustrated by reference to the following examples: In the examples the term crimp bends per inch" is determined by examining a length of yarn under a microscope and counting the number of filament bendings for 1 inch of stretched length. The term entanglements per meter (E.P.M.), which reflects the level of commingling achieved, is determined by passing the yarn through a conventional testing device in which a needle is inserted between filaments. Each time the needle is pushed in the direction of yarn motion by a local entanglement, a counter in the device is activated to count the number of entanglements per meter of the stretched length of yarn. The term crimp elongation after boil (C.E.A.B.) is determined by measuring the length of a sample of crimped yarn at a tensile stress level of 0.002 gram/denier. The yarn is then boiled in water for 30 minutes at a pressure of 1 atmosphere. After this period, the yarn is dried at a temperature of 150C. for minutes and then conditioned for a period of 2 hours at a temperature of 223C. and a relative humidity of 65 percent. The length of the conditioned yarn is then determined at a tensile stress level of 0.5 gram/denier. The value thereby obtained is compared to the length of unboiled yarn obtained at a tensile stress level of 0.002 gram/- denier and the percent of the elongation calculated.

EXAMPLE 1 A continuous, 70 filament, 1,100 denier nylon 6 yarn, each filament having a Y-shaped cross-section, is fed at a speed of 700 ft/min into the feed tube of an apparatus of FIG. 1 along the longitudinal axis thereof. The yarn is contacted in the contact zone at an angle of 10 with respect to the yarn passage axis by steam supplied to the zone at a temperature of 260C. and a pressure of 150 psig through a nozzle having an inside diameter of 0.04 inch and a nozzle length of 0.1 inch, thereby contacting the yarn with steam at a force of 5 1b,/in The contact zone is a cone defining a conical angle of After being contacted by the heated fluid, the yarn vibrates and impacts upon a portion of the contact chamber wall. The impacted yarn then passes into energy tube passage which has an inside diameter of 0. 1 25 inch and a length of 3 inches, wherein the yarn temperature is raised to about 140C. The heated yarn is then passed into the texturizing passage, which has a diameter of 0.5 inch and a length of 6.0 inches, in which the yarn forms a moving yarn plug and from which crimped and commingled yarn is continuously withdrawn. The treated yarn is determined to have 46 crimp bends per inch, a 35 percent elongation after boil and 40 entanglements per meter.

Nylon 6 yarn having the identical characteristics treated above, is processed by the conventional steam jet apparatus of US. Pat. No. 3,409,956 under the same conditions of treatment with the above apparatus. While the treated yarn is determined to have a comparable level of crimp, the yarn treated by the conventional jet texturizing apparatus achieved less than 10 entanglements per meter.

EXAMPLE 2 A continuous, filament, 1,100 denier nylon 6 yarn is treated in an apparatus of the present invention similar to that employed in Example 1. The yarn is fed to the apparatus at a speed of 1,500 ft/min. and is contacted in the impacting zone by steam supplied at a temperature of 260C., and a pressure of psig through a nozzle having an inside diameter of 0.055 inch, thereby contacting the yarn with steam at a force of 5 1b /in The energy tube has an inside diameter of 0.15 inch and a tube length of 5.625 inches. Other process conditions and apparatus dimensions are identical to those employed in Example 1. Under these conditions, the treated yarn is found to have 35 crimp bends per inch, a 29 percent crimp elongation after boil and 30 entanglements per meter.

EXAMPLE 3 Two ends of a continuous, filament, 3,300 denier nylon 6 yarn, each filament having a Y-shaped crosssection, are fed as a yarn bundle to a series of two feeder rolls, such as are illustrated in HO. 3, between which a draw ratio of 1.1 is maintained. Feeder roll 2 is heated to 90C., whereupon the yarn is heated to about 50C. The yarn is then passed to a third feeder roll maintained at C. and operated at a linear speed of 5,280 ft/min., thereby maintaining a draw ratio of 3:1 between rolls 3 and l. The yarn on roll 3 is heated to about 90C.

The pre-heated yarn is then passed into the pre-crimp feeder tube of the apparatus of FIG. 2. 1n the pre-crimp assembly, the yarn bundle is contacted with steam at a temperature of 232C. and a pressure of 50 psi supplied through a coaxial nozzle having an inside diameter of 0.06 inch. The steam and contacted yarn enter the crimping tube which has an inside diameter of 0.145 inch and a length of 5.5 inches. The pre-crimped yarn is then passed through the feeder tube of apparatus 10 along the longitudinal axis thereof. The yarn is contacted in the contact zone at an angle of 8 with respect to the yarn passage axis by steam supplied to the zone at a temperature of 280C., and a pressure of psig. through a nozzle having an inside diameter of 0.076 inch and a nozzle length of 0.1 inch, thereby contacting the yarn with steam at a force of 3 lb lin The contact zone is a cone defining a conical angle of 15. The yarn contacted by the steam impacts upon a portion of the contact, chamber wall, and the impacted yarn is passed into the energy tube having an inside diameter of 0.16 inch and a length of 1.9 inches, wherein the yarn temperature is raised to about 145C. The heated yarn then passes into a texturizing passage which has an inside diameter of 0.54 inch and a length of 7.0 inches, in which the yarn forms a moving yarn plug. Crimped and commingled yarn is continuously withdrawn from the texturizing passage by a series of two end rollers, rollers 4 and 5. The draw ratio between rollers 4 and 3 is maintained at 0.74 and the pull-out ratio (the draw ratio between rollers 5 and 4) is maintained at 1.03, so that a tension of 100 grams is maintained. After roll 5, the

yarn is passed to a Rieter winder at a tension of 100 grams.

The treated yarn is determined to have 35 crimp bends per inch, 30 percent elongation after boil and 38 entanglements per meter.

EXAMPLE 4 Example 3 is repeated employing a 3000 denier undrawn yarn for each end. The yarn bundle is fed by a pre-crimp feeder tube into a pre-crimp assembly to which steam is supplied at a temperature of 240C, a pressure of 75 psi, and a contact force of 4 lb,/in The draw ratio between rollers 4 and 3 is maintained at 0.68 and a tension between rollers 4 and 5 is I20 grams. All other process conditions and apparatus dimensions are those employed in Example 3.

The treated yarn is found to have 40 crimp bends per inch, 3l percent elongation after boil and 46 entanglements per meter.

EXAMPLE 5 Example 3 is repeated employing a 3,150 denier yarn for each end using a pre-crimp assembly to which steam is supplied at a temperature of 270C. and a pressure of 70 psi. Steam is supplied to apparatus at a temperature of 260C. and a pressure of 1 psi through a nozzle having an inside diameter of 0.06 inch,thereby contacting the yarn with steam at a force of 4 lb,/in-. The draw ratio between rolers 4 and 3 is maintained at 0.69 and the tension between rollers 4 and 5 is 120 grams. All other process conditions and apparatus dimensions are those employed in Example The treated yarn is found to have 40 crimp bends per inch, 30 percent crimp elongation after boil and 28 entanglements per meter.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for purpose of illustration, it will be evident to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications maybe made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A process for simultaneously crimping and commingling continuous filament yarn, which comprises:

a. feeding the yarn into a contact zone;

b. contacting the yarn in said contact zone with heated fluidat an angle of not greater than about 85 with respect to the axis of yarn passage through said contact zone, said heated fluid having a fluid velocity sufficient to vibrate the yarn and to cause the yarn to impact upon an impacting surface;

c. passing the impacted yarn and heated fluid into a heat absorbing zone wherein the yarn absorbs at least a portion of the heat from said heated fluid;

d. directing the yarn under the action of heated fluid into a texturizing zone wherein the flow of yarn is impeded, thereby establishing a yarn plug;

e. exhausting heated fluid from said texturizing zone;

and f. removing crimped and commingled yarn from said yarn plug.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said heated fluid is steam.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is contacted in said contact zone with heated fluid at an angle of not greater than about 45 with respect to the axis of yarn passage through said contact zone.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein said contact zone conically converges in the direction of yarn passage therethrough and defines a conical angle of not greater than about 5. A process according to claim ll wherein said contact zone is substantially cylindrical.

6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is fed to the contact zone substantially along the longitudinal axis of said zone and wherein the yarn is contacted in said contact zone with heated fluid at an angle of between about 5 and 45.

7. An apparatus for simultaneous crimping and commingling continuous filament yarn, which comprises:

a. a contact chamber assembly including a contact chamber, yarn inlet means for feeding yarn into said contact chamber and fluid supply means for introducing heated fluid into said contact chamber substantially along an axis which forms an angle of not greater than about 85 with the axis of yarn passage through said contact chamber;

b. an energy tube wherein the yarn absorbs heat from said heated fluid, said energy tube communicating with said contact chamber; and

c. a stuffer tube assembly including a stuffer tube for texturizing said yarn and a stuffer receiver, said stuffer tube and said stuffer receiver communicating successively with said energy tube.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said contact chamber defines a passage which conically converges in the direction of yarn passage therethrough and which defines a conical angle of not greater than about 85.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said fluid supply means is adapted for introducing heated fluid into said contact chamber substantially along an axis which forms an angle of not greater than about 45 with the axis of yarn passage through said contact chamber.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said contact chamber defines a substantially cylindrical passage.

ll. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said yarn inlet means is adapted for feeding yarn into the contact chamber substantially along the longitudinal axis of said chamber, and wherein said fluid supply means is adapted for introducing heated fluid into said contact chamber substantially along an axis which forms an angle of between about 5 and 45 with the axis of yarn passage through said contact chamber. 

1. A process for simultaneously crimping and commingling continuous filament yarn, which comprises: a. feeding the yarn into a contact zone; b. contacting the yarn in said contact zone with heated fluid at an angle of not greater than about 85* with respect to the axis of yarn passage through said contact zone, said heated fluid having a fluid velocity sufficient to vibrate the yarn and to cause the yarn to impact upon an impacting surface; c. passing the impacted yarn and heated fluid into a heat absorbing zone wherein the yarn absorbs at least a portion of the heat from said heated fluid; d. directing the yarn under the action of heated fluid into a texturizing zone wherein the flow of yarn is impeded, thereby establishing a yarn plug; e. exhausting heated fluid from said texturizing zone; and f. removing crimped and commingled yarn from said yarn plug.
 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said heated fluid is steam.
 3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is contacted in said contact zone with heated fluid at an angle of not greater thAn about 45* with respect to the axis of yarn passage through said contact zone.
 4. A process according to claim 1 wherein said contact zone conically converges in the direction of yarn passage therethrough and defines a conical angle of not greater than about 85*.
 5. A process according to claim 1 wherein said contact zone is substantially cylindrical.
 6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is fed to the contact zone substantially along the longitudinal axis of said zone and wherein the yarn is contacted in said contact zone with heated fluid at an angle of between about 5* and 45*.
 7. An apparatus for simultaneous crimping and commingling continuous filament yarn, which comprises: a. a contact chamber assembly including a contact chamber, yarn inlet means for feeding yarn into said contact chamber and fluid supply means for introducing heated fluid into said contact chamber substantially along an axis which forms an angle of not greater than about 85* with the axis of yarn passage through said contact chamber; b. an energy tube wherein the yarn absorbs heat from said heated fluid, said energy tube communicating with said contact chamber; and c. a stuffer tube assembly including a stuffer tube for texturizing said yarn and a stuffer receiver, said stuffer tube and said stuffer receiver communicating successively with said energy tube.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said contact chamber defines a passage which conically converges in the direction of yarn passage therethrough and which defines a conical angle of not greater than about 85*.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said fluid supply means is adapted for introducing heated fluid into said contact chamber substantially along an axis which forms an angle of not greater than about 45* with the axis of yarn passage through said contact chamber.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said contact chamber defines a substantially cylindrical passage.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said yarn inlet means is adapted for feeding yarn into the contact chamber substantially along the longitudinal axis of said chamber, and wherein said fluid supply means is adapted for introducing heated fluid into said contact chamber substantially along an axis which forms an angle of between about 5* and 45* with the axis of yarn passage through said contact chamber. 